Some blog posts are full of great advice, tips, and tricks. This is not one of those. I don’t have amazing advice or magic words that will make your kids to listen to you. I’m a regular mom with two little boys.
Boys that I love with every inch of my heart, who can also make me feel like I’m going CRAZY!
I don’t know if ALL kids act this way. So I’ll tell you about mine and maybe we will have something in common, or maybe you will have some insight to share.
My four year old has always been a BUSY boy. He has been challenging me to keep up with him ever since he began walking at 10 months old. At 11 months he started running and hasn’t stopped. This boy has one speed. FAST. I wish I had a dollar for every time I’ve said, “Walking feet.”
I used to love his nap time. I NEEDED that time to have a break and catch my breath! But around 2 ½ he started fighting nap time so badly. Finally, I decided the battle was not worth it.
Life is literally son up to son down.
This little boy is full of _ _ it. He has a contagious laugh, a beautiful smile, and dark brown eyes (just like mine) that melt my heart. He is so smart and funny (I know, I know, ALL moms say that about their kids!)
I’ve been thinking that his personality is so much different from mine, so he must get it from his daddy! I bet his grandma wished really really hard that my husband would have a boy just like himself someday!
He is strong willed to a T. He’s a negotiator. He has a comeback for everything I say. The terrible two’s and threenagers have nothing, I mean NOTHING on what this boy has been dishing out. If I say one thing, he says the opposite. He asks a million questions and doesn’t give up. I can only hope he is a very successful adult with these traits.
Here is a sample of some recent conversations with my four year old:
Me: “Time for dinner.” Him: “I don’t want to eat my dinner. I don’t like having dinner.”
Him: “Can I have some chocolate milk?” Me: “No, you can have white milk or water.” Him: “I want apple juice.”
Me: “Wear your socks and tennis shoes.” Him: “I don’t want to. I want to wear my Crocs.” Me: “Fine, wear your Crocs. Please put them on.” Him: “I don’t want to wear my Crocs. I want to wear my tennis shoes.”
Him: “Mom, can we play in the pool?” Me: “Yes, lets fill it up and put your suits on.” As we are filling the pool, the youngest splashes the oldest. Him: “Mom, I don’t like getting wet.” We go inside to change. Him: “Mom, I don’t want to go swimming.” Me: “Fine. You don’t have to, but your brother can.” Him: “Mom I want to wear these different swim shorts.” Everyone is changed and we go back outside. Him: “Mom I don’t want to go in the pool. It’s too hot.”
WHAAATTT? AAAAHHH! I’m honestly afraid of what’s to come in the teenage years.
And then there’s our 1 ½ year old with blue eyes and wild curly hair. It’s funny to me that already the boys have very different personalities. The little one is a cuddler and more sensitive.
When I tell him “No,” he cries. We’re in the tantrums stage. He does the whole crying, arching back, throwing himself on the floor routine. He’s a great eater thankfully, but when he decides he is done…food starts flying.
He recently started climbing on everything. So I’ve been trying to protect him from falling on his head. He tries to keep up with his brother, which most of the time leads to fighting over toys and a fit.
What I’m getting at is, this summer was a bit of a challenge. Both boys are testing their boundaries. And most of the time it seems like they are running in opposite directions. Just when I was having the toughest time, I read the Positive Parenting Toolkit. I NEEDED to read THAT post on THAT VERY DAY. It helped me adjust my thinking about the boys’ behavior.
I grew up in a quiet home. Now my own house is loud and boisterous. Someone is always “rawring” like a dinosaur, covered in sand from head to toe, running through the living room, or bouncing off the walls!
I used to like perfection. Kids have changed my ways. Life with kids is unpredictable and things get messy. I’m learning to pick my battles and go with the flow.
I’ve had to remind myself A LOT to take a deep breath and relax. To just let them play. Let them be little. Let them make messes. Let them get dirty. Let them wrestle around. Let them dump buckets of pool water on their heads and each other. Let them splash in mud puddles. Then hose off those crazy kids and give them hugs and kisses!
Mamas: Does any of this sound familiar?
